Day 5 – Cape Buffalo
Here we go again at 5:45 am headed out to hunt the one that got away. Yesterday’s hunt was frustrating but that is why it is called hunting. We are pretty confident giving the way we were able to get on him and how he was wanted to loop back into his comfort zone.
We get there and immediately find tracks, he is headed to the original waterhole we check yesterday. We find the tracks and start tracking. Confidence was still high and he was walking through some open areas, we were able to move pretty quickly but figured he wasn’t far. The cover changed from being able to see 100 yards, to 50 yards, to 20 yards, to maybe 10…it felt like the walls were closing in and he was leading us into a trap. We were moving super slow, literally walking up within 10 yards of bedded impalas, we moved silently and had great wind. It felt right, we hit an area where you could tell it was protected and there was warm thermals, it had plenty of cover and it just seems like the inevitable was about to happen. To say adrenaline was pumping would be an understatement. We made our through the thick area and couldn’t find tracks, we went up ahead and checked the road, no tracks. Ok so he has looped back on us and is headed to his favorite spot, just like yesterday.
We take a quick ride and get perfect wind, and what took place was my favorite stalk of the trip. It seemed perfect, and every minute it felt like we were going to cut him off and meet him head on. While we were stalking it was decided that the road would be dragged so we would only have fresh tracks. The stalk was intense, and it felt like we would see him and we were checking every thick spot and moving quietly. My friends, the ostriches, gave us some false alarms but overall we didn’t see the buff or any spoor, or really any reason to think he was there. We checked all the roads afterwards and there was no tracks, we were kind of at a loss. We followed the original tracks and he didn’t loop back on us. We decided to get lunch. At lunch we moved to plan C, lets get some beaters and get his buff moving and get some fresh tracks. We get four guys, check the roads and still no tracks. We hit the favorite spot, the beaters were raising hell but there was no movement and no spoor. Ok back to where we lost him this morning, same results, nothing. Ok we try another block and then another block, and then another block, all had the same result…nothing. We go to the mountain and maybe he went up or is in the thick valley…we go up, beaters go low…nothing. We check all of the roads and tracks and there is no spoor anywhere….at this point we are confused and start wondering what is plan D.
It was at this time, Carl tells me they had a buff 3 years ago, that didn’t move for 3 days…nothing could get this buff to move and they had to get a helicopter and even than it took it 1 and ½ hours find it. This speaks to how thick this area is as well as how tricky buff can be.
We ride around for a while, did a short stalk into maybe a spot the beater missed and then decided to just sit under and tree and think about Plan E. Plan E was to go back to the where we lost the tracks and get the beaters but get noise makers and really make noise. It was about 4:30 and given the time of day, maybe he would be more inclined to move.
We set up on one of the long roads, and off go the beaters and man are they loud. We sit and here go the wildebeest and red hartebeest and the monkeys...stuff is moving. Any finally bam there goes the buff, radio the beaters to stop and off we go, we get the tracks, we turn right and find more tracks, he is starting to walk, we look around and catch the tail end of him walking away. Off the truck and sprint! We get close and he is still walking away, he doesn’t know we are there. We run to get ahead, we are seeing him move up in the bush ahead, catch our breath as he is grazing a long. Check the wind and get ready for the final stalk. We make our way closer and closer, we have cover and get to within 40 yards and on the sticks, if he breaks left or right I am ready. He is kind of walking towards and goes right, given me a broadside shot.
BAM! He bucks and is hit hard, instantly reload and never lost sight, I see him going away and Rouan is saying shoot again. BAM! This shot broke his hip, we sprint quickly to get a broadside shot. BAM! Another perfect hit and I am reloading, I get one in the chamber and as the scope gets on him, he goes down. Still on him, and then the Death Bellow! Pat on the back and Rouan says congratulations, enjoy this movement. Another Bellow, and drop to knee give thanks and take it all in. The sun is setting, and another Bellow and it is all over.
On a humorous point, I practice quickly getting on sticks and working the bolt. What I didn’t practice was loading from my cull belt. So after my 3rd shot, I go to grab a round, and in pulling it out immediately threw it over my shoulder. It didn’t phase me as I grab the next one, but kind of one of those things I will look back and laugh about.
Picture time and to give thanks, he was a magnificent bull and definitely had me frustrated and a bit baffled, definitely have to respect these animals. I now have 4 of the Big 5, and it has been a pretty hectic and humbling journey.
